Improved carpet-tacking machine



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FRANCIS H. STAUFFEILOF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.`

Letters Patent No. 102,331, dated April 26, 1870.

IMPROVED CARPET-'ll'.AKING- MACHINE.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom it may concern with tacks provided with leather, or its equivalent,`

betweeathe tack-head and carpet, said tacks being inserted at regular intervals into a st-rip of leather or tape of a proper material, previously punched and provided by a separate device for the purpose, in such. a manner that by raising the hammer, which hammer is also provided with a cutting-blade, and forced down by a powerful spring, will feed the strippforward with its tack in place ready to be cut off by the descending hammer, and the tack driven home by each successive low.

Reference to the drawings making a part thereof', in which- Figure 1 illustrates the application of my invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective view, full size.

Figures 3 and 4, side views.

Figure 5, top view of the hammer.

Figure 6, top view of the shoe.

Figure 7 illustrates the action of the hammer and its parts in three positions, together with the strip of leather with its tacks, and two of the modes for feeding the same forward by the heel-claw of the hammer, or jointed-rod, with a claw or propelling end sliding over the head on the back motion of the heel, and dropping behind the head by its own gravity, so as to feed out the tack next the-mouth of the shoe.

The shoe A and hammer H may be cast of malleable iron, and the bearings orthe Whole. hardened equal to steel.l

This shoe has a longitudinal channel, l, for a strip y of leather.

Said channel isI curved in the heel, adapted to the radius of the feeding-claw D, and continued up the wooden handle B for four or tive feet.

There is also a deep slot, a, fig. 6, cut into the middle of said channel for the tack T, that penetrates through the leather strip L, to pass freely forward.

The hammer H has a cutting-blade, K, attached to its inner face next the shoe..

This blade or knife K may be somewhat narrower on the sides than the width of the hammer-head, of a square or equal-sided ilat plate, with a cutting-edge on the four sides, provided with cross-slots K' for a binding-screw to comefiinsh (in the beveled or countersunk slots) with the face next the shoe.

This blade would be both adjustable and reversible equal'tor four separate blades, with only a single cutting-edge.

This hammer is held by screw-bolts P on the raised sides of the heel portion of the shoe, havinga camtooth, G, resting ony a strong spring, U, on one or both sides, if necessary.

Centrally on the hind end of the hammer is a pro jection, J, to operate the feed-claw D, upon raising the hammer.

This feed-claw D is shownpart-ly iu iig. 2, a modification of which is shown by fig. 5.

The claw has a stem and spiral spring inserted into a tube formed for it, like an ordinary spring catch, so

asto yield enough to carry the rounded end backward over the tack-head, and bring the claw or catch behind the head of the tack to catch and hold it when the hammer is so far raised as shown by position No. 2, iig. 7, so that, when the hammer is in position No. 3, the catch D2 will be at D, having pushed the tack and strip forward, where the knife cuts it olf, and the hammer drives the tack through the carpet into the floor, with a square of leather under the head.

-Fig. 4 shows a spring and trigger attachment for setting the hammer, similar to an old-fashioned flint` lock. This might be deemed an improvement, but for all practical purposes can be dispensed with, by situ-v ply inserting a stop to arrest the hammer when raised the proper height, or by adjusting the cord W', so that a knot formed in it will arrest the pull on the double or looped end, which ends may pass through an eye on each side of the handle..

The single cord may come direct from the ring V, on the head of the hammer, or passed around a pulley, Y, fig. 7.

Fig. 6 shows another mode of feed attachment.

Various devices used on machinery can be applied to push the leather and tack forward by raising the hammer. The springs also can be modified.

I am aware that an excellent tack-driver is in use, in which the tack is fed by hand down a tube, and seized, and driven home eifectually by a hammer, spiral spring, cord, and pulley, but it is expensive, and the tack cannot be used provided with leather, so that I disclaim such an arrangement.

I am not aware, however, oi' any arrangement where a flat strip of leather provided with the tacks, either in a coil, or extending-upward in the handle, is simultaneously fed forward, cut, and driven into the iioor. by means of a shoe and hammer provided with a cutter, so that by simply pulling on the cord and relaxing the pull, to allow the full action of the spring to force the hammer down, is, as I deem it, in itself a new arrangement of parts, independent of the specific mode of employing or constructing the spring or feeding device to actuate the same.

Fig. 7 illustrates one mode of operation that works well, and accomplishes .the object in view.

Numerous other plans have suggested themselves their equivalent, with a handle, B, in the manner shown and for the purpose speoied.

2. In combination with the arrangement of the shoe and hammer, the feeding device, when sovconstrueted that, by raising the hammer, a strip of leather, or its equivalent, provided with tacks at regular intervals,

' will be propelled forward in the manner shown, for

the purpose set forth.

Witnesses:

GHALKLEY KEMBLE, CHARLES P. COWARD.

F. H. STAUFFER. 

